II 

Calendar No. 724 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3879 

To require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology 

and the Administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of 

origin of red snapper imported into the United States, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 6, 2024 

Mr. CRUZ (for himself, Mr. TUBERVILLE, and Mrs. BRITT) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

DECEMBER 18 (legislative day, DECEMBER 16), 2024 

Reported by Ms. CANTWELL, with an amendment 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

A BILL 

To require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards 

and Technology and the Administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin 

of red snapper imported into the United States, and 

for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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•S 3879 RS

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Illegal Red Snapper 

3 Enforcement Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. METHODOLOGY FOR IDENTIFYING THE COUNTRY 

5 OF ORIGIN OF RED SNAPPER IMPORTED 

6 INTO THE UNITED STATES. 

7 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

8 (1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis9 trator’’ means the Administrator of the National 

10 Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

11 (2) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CON12 GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con13 gress’’ means— 

14 (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, 

15 and Transportation of the Senate; and 

16 (B) the Committee on Transportation and 

17 Infrastructure and the Committee on Natural 

18 Resources of the House of Representatives. 

19 (3) UNDER SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Under 

20 Secretary’’ means the Under Secretary of Commerce 

21 for Standards and Technology and the Director of 

22 the National Institute of Standards and Technology. 

23 (b) STANDARD METHODOLOGY FOR IDENTIFICA24 TION.—The Under Secretary and the Administrator, in 

25 consultation with the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 

26 Border Protection and the Commandant of the Coast 


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•S 3879 RS

1 Guard, shall jointly develop a standard methodology based 

2 on chemical analysis for identifying the country of origin 

3 of red snapper imported into the United States that— 

4 (1) is consistent with the needs of Federal and 

5 State law enforcement agencies in combating illegal, 

6 unreported, and unregulated fishing; 

7 (2) minimizes processing time; and 

8 (3) involves the use of a field kit that can be 

9 easily carried by one individual. 

10 (c) REPORT.—Not later 2 years after the date of the 

11 enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall submit 

12 to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that 

13 includes the following: 

14 (1) A summary of the methodology developed 

15 under subsection (b). 

16 (2) A plan for operationalizing the methodology. 

17 (3) Recommendations for further research on 

18 identification methods, including other potential ap19 plications of the methodology. 

20 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

21 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Illegal Red Snapper En22 forcement Act’’. 


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4 

•S 3879 RS

1 SEC. 2. METHODOLOGY FOR IDENTIFYING THE COUNTRY 

2 OF ORIGIN OF RED SNAPPER IMPORTED INTO 

3 THE UNITED STATES. 

4 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

5 (1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis6 trator’’ means the Administrator of the National Oce7 anic and Atmospheric Administration. 

8 (2) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS.— 

9 The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Congress’’ 

10 means— 

11 (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, 

12 and Transportation of the Senate; and 

13 (B) the Committee on Transportation and 

14 Infrastructure and the Committee on Natural 

15 Resources of the House of Representatives. 

16 (3) UNDER SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Under Sec17 retary’’ means the Under Secretary of Commerce for 

18 Standards and Technology and the Director of the 

19 National Institute of Standards and Technology. 

20 (b) STANDARD METHODOLOGY FOR IDENTIFICA21 TION.—The Under Secretary and the Administrator, in 

22 consultation with the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 

23 Border Protection and the Commandant of the Coast 

24 Guard, shall jointly develop a standard methodology based 

25 on chemical analysis for identifying the country of origin 

26 of red snapper imported into the United States that— 


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•S 3879 RS

1 (1) is consistent with the needs of Federal and 

2 State law enforcement agencies in combating illegal, 

3 unreported, and unregulated fishing; 

4 (2) minimizes processing time; and 

5 (3) involves the use of a field kit that can be eas6 ily carried by one individual. 

7 (c) REPORT.—Not later 2 years after the date of the 

8 enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall submit to 

9 the appropriate committees of Congress a report that in10 cludes the following: 

11 (1) A summary of the methodology developed 

12 under subsection (b). 

13 (2) A plan for operationalizing the methodology 

14 developed under subsection (b). 

15 (3) Recommendations for further research on 

16 identification methods, including other potential ap17 plications of the methodology. 

18 SEC. 3. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR IUU FISHING EN19 FORCEMENT. 

20 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense is author21 ized to, in coordination with the United States Coast 

22 Guard, expend funds appropriated for the Department of 

23 Defense for operation and maintenance to provide maritime 

24 technical assistance to maritime forces from other nations 

25 in efforts to combat illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:50 Dec 19, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\S3879.RS S3879

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•S 3879 RS

1 ing (commonly known as ‘‘IUU fishing’’) and other 

2 transnational organized crime. Such technical assistance 

3 may include providing observers, shipriders, and special4 ized personnel to deploy with such maritime forces, in addi5 tion to remote sensing, analysis of data, and operational 

6 intelligence, as appropriate and consistent with United 

7 States law and policy. 

8 (b) APPLICATION OF AUTHORITY.—The authority pro9 vided under subsection (a) shall apply to the use of the 

10 United States Coast Guard members deployed to and oper11 ating aboard Department of Defense, partner nation, or 

12 international partner platforms, as well as partner nation 

13 personnel operating aboard United States military and 

14 Coast Guard assets or international partner vessels, as ap15 propriate. 


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Calendar No. 724 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3879 

A BILL 

To require the Under Secretary of Commerce for 

D

purposes. imported into the United States, and for other identifying the country of origin of red snapper tration to develop a standard methodology for of National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdminisStandards and Technology and the Administrator 

ECEMBER 18 (legislative day, DECEMBER 16), 2024 

Reported with an amendment 


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